Method and lc device for transmitting scheduling request

ABSTRACT

The present description provides a method for transmitting a scheduling request (SR) in a low-capability (LC) or low-cost (LC) device. The method can comprise a step for receiving an upper layer signal comprising an SR subframe offset and an SR transmission period. The upper layer signal can further comprise information about the number of repetitions. Also, the method can comprise the steps of: determining, on the basis of the SR transmission period and SR subframe offset, a subframe on which the SR is to be transmitted; determining the number of repeated transmissions of the SR on the basis of the information; and transmitting the SR on the determined subframe. The SR can repeatedly be transmitted on a plurality of subframes that begin from the determined subframe.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to mobile communication

Related Art

3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project) LTE (Long Term Evolution) thatis an advancement of UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunication System) isbeing introduced with 3GPP release 8. In 3GPP LTE, OFDMA (orthogonalfrequency division multiple access) is used for downlink, and SC-FDMA(single carrier-frequency division multiple access) is used for uplink.The 3GPP LTE adopts MIMO (multiple input multiple output) having maximumfour antennas. Recently, a discussion of 3GPP LTE-A (LTE-Advanced) whichis the evolution of the 3GPP LTE is in progress.

As set forth in 3GPP TS 36.211 V10.4.0, the physical channels in 3GPPLTE may be classified into data channels such as PDSCH (physicaldownlink shared channel) and PUSCH (physical uplink shared channel) andcontrol channels such as PDCCH (physical downlink control channel),PCFICH (physical control format indicator channel), PHICH (physicalhybrid-ARQ indicator channel) and PUCCH (physical uplink controlchannel).

Meanwhile, in recent years, communication, i.e., machine typecommunication (MTC), occurring between devices or between a device and aserver without a human interaction, i.e., a human intervention, isactively under research. The MTC refers to the concept of communicationbased on an existing wireless communication network used by a machinedevice instead of a user equipment (UE) used by a user.

Since the MTC has a feature different from that of a normal UE, aservice optimized to the MTC may differ from a service optimized tohuman-to-human communication. In comparison with a current mobilenetwork communication service, the MTC can be characterized as adifferent market scenario, data communication, less costs and efforts, apotentially great number of MTC devices, wide service areas, low trafficfor each MTC device, etc.

In order to enhance a supply rate through a low-cost of the MTC device,a discussion is being performed in which the MTC device enables to useonly a sub-band reduced to, for example, about 1.4 MHz regardless of anentire system bandwidth of a cell.

However, for the MTC device operating in a reduced partial band, aredefinition of an RB mapping method or a transmitting method ofphysical channels may be required.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the disclosure of the specification has been made in aneffort to solve the problem.

To achieve the foregoing purposes, the disclosure of the presentinvention proposes a method for transmitting a scheduling request (SR).The method may be performed by a low-cost/low-capability (LC) device andcomprise: receiving a higher layer signal including a SR transmissionperiodicity and a SR subframe offset, the higher layer signal furtherincluding information on a repetition number; determining a subframe totransmit the SR based on the SR transmission periodicity and the SRsubframe offset; determining a number for repeatedly transmitting the SRbased on the information; and transmitting the SR on the determinedsubframe. The SR may be repeatedly transmitted on a plurality ofsubframes starting from the determined subframe.

If transmission of hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ)acknowledgement (ACK)/non-acknowledgement (NACK) is required after theSR is triggered, the SR may be transmitted using a Physical UplinkControl Channel (PUCCH) format 1B, and a Most Significant Bit (MSB) ofthe SR may be set to 0, and when the SR is a positive SR, a LeastSignificant Bit (LSB) of the SR may be set to 1.

After the SR is triggered, when transmission of HARQ ACK/NACK isrequired, an MSB of the SR may be set according to a value of the HARQACK/NACK from a transmission time point of the HARQ ACK/NACK.

The SR may be together transmitted only when HARQ ACK/NACK istransmitted.

The SR may be joint-encoded and transmitted with the HARQ ACK/NACK.

The SR may be together transmitted only when periodic Channel StateInformation (CSI) is transmitted.

The SR may be joint-encoded and transmitted with the periodic CSI.

To achieve the foregoing purposes, the disclosure of the presentinvention proposes a low-cost/low-capability (LC) device fortransmitting a scheduling request (SR). The LC device comprise: atransceiver configured to receive a higher layer signal including a SRtransmission periodicity and a SR subframe offset, the higher layersignal further including information on a repetition number. The LCdevice may comprise a processor configured to determine a subframe totransmit the SR based on the SR transmission periodicity and the SRsubframe offset; determine a number for repeatedly transmitting the SRbased on the information; and control the transceiver to transmit the SRon the determined subframe. The SR may be repeatedly transmitted on aplurality of subframes starting from the determined subframe.

Advantageous Effects

According to the disclosure of the present specification, the problemsof the above-described prior art are solved.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a wireless communication system.

FIG. 2 illustrates the architecture of a radio frame according tofrequency division duplex (FDD) of 3rd generation partnership project(3GPP) long term evolution (LTE).

FIG. 3 illustrates the architecture of a downlink radio frame accordingto time division duplex (TDD) in 3GPP LTE.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example resource grid for one uplink or downlinkslot in 3GPP LTE.

FIG. 5 illustrates the architecture of a downlink subframe.

FIG. 6 is an exemplary diagram illustrating a transmission region basedon the PUCCH formation.

FIG. 7 illustrates an example of a Scheduling Request (SR) transmissionmechanism.

FIG. 8a illustrates an example of Machine Type communication (MTC).

FIG. 8b illustrates extension or enhancement of cell coverage for an MTCdevice.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of transmitting a bundle ofdownlink channels.

FIGS. 10a and 10b are diagrams illustrating an example of a sub-band inwhich an MTC device operates.

FIG. 11 illustrates an example of determining a subframe for repetitiontransmission of an SR according to a disclosure of the presentspecification.

FIG. 12 is a block diagram illustrating a wireless communication systemthat implements a disclosure of the present specification.

DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, based on 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) longterm evolution (LTE) or 3GPP LTE-advanced (LTE-A), the present inventionwill be applied. This is just an example, and the present invention maybe applied to various wireless communication systems. Hereinafter, LTEincludes LTE and/or LTE-A.

The technical terms used herein are used to merely describe specificembodiments and should not be construed as limiting the presentinvention. Further, the technical terms used herein should be, unlessdefined otherwise, interpreted as having meanings generally understoodby those skilled in the art but not too broadly or too narrowly.Further, the technical terms used herein, which are determined not toexactly represent the spirit of the invention, should be replaced by orunderstood by such technical terms as being able to be exactlyunderstood by those skilled in the art. Further, the general terms usedherein should be interpreted in the context as defined in thedictionary, but not in an excessively narrowed manner.

The expression of the singular number in the specification includes themeaning of the plural number unless the meaning of the singular numberis definitely different from that of the plural number in the context.In the following description, the term ‘include’ or ‘have’ may representthe existence of a feature, a number, a step, an operation, a component,a part or the combination thereof described in the specification, andmay not exclude the existence or addition of another feature, anothernumber, another step, another operation, another component, another partor the combination thereof.

The terms ‘first’ and ‘second’ are used for the purpose of explanationabout various components, and the components are not limited to theterms ‘first’ and ‘second’. The terms ‘first’ and ‘second’ are only usedto distinguish one component from another component. For example, afirst component may be named as a second component without deviatingfrom the scope of the present invention.

It will be understood that when an element or layer is referred to asbeing “connected to” or “coupled to” another element or layer, it can bedirectly connected or coupled to the other element or layer orintervening elements or layers may be present. In contrast, when anelement is referred to as being “directly connected to” or “directlycoupled to” another element or layer, there are no intervening elementsor layers present.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described ingreater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Indescribing the present invention, for ease of understanding, the samereference numerals are used to denote the same components throughout thedrawings, and repetitive description on the same components will beomitted. Detailed description on well-known arts which are determined tomake the gist of the invention unclear will be omitted. The accompanyingdrawings are provided to merely make the spirit of the invention readilyunderstood, but not should be intended to be limiting of the invention.It should be understood that the spirit of the invention may be expandedto its modifications, replacements or equivalents in addition to what isshown in the drawings.

As used herein, ‘base station’ generally refers to a fixed station thatcommunicates with a wireless device and may be denoted by other termssuch as eNB (evolved-NodeB), BTS (base transceiver system), or accesspoint.

As used herein, user equipment (UE) may be stationary or mobile, and maybe denoted by other terms such as device, wireless device, terminal, MS(mobile station), UT (user terminal), SS (subscriber station), MT(mobile terminal) and etc.

FIG. 1 Illustrates a Wireless Communication System.

As seen with reference to FIG. 1, the wireless communication systemincludes at least one base station (BS) 20. Each base station 20provides a communication service to specific geographical areas(generally, referred to as cells) 20 a, 20 b, and 20 c. The cell can befurther divided into a plurality of areas (sectors).

The UE generally belongs to one cell and the cell to which the terminalbelongs is referred to as a serving cell. A base station that providesthe communication service to the serving cell is referred to as aserving BS. Since the wireless communication system is a cellularsystem, another cell that neighbors to the serving cell is present.Another cell which neighbors to the serving cell is referred to aneighbor cell. A base station that provides the communication service tothe neighbor cell is referred to as a neighbor BS. The serving cell andthe neighbor cell are relatively decided based on the UE.

Hereinafter, a downlink means communication from the base station 20 tothe UEl 10 and an uplink means communication from the UE 10 to the basestation 20. In the downlink, a transmitter may be a part of the basestation 20 and a receiver may be a part of the UE 10. In the uplink, thetransmitter may be a part of the UE 10 and the receiver may be a part ofthe base station 20.

Meanwhile, the wireless communication system may be generally dividedinto a frequency division duplex (FDD) type and a time division duplex(TDD) type. According to the FDD type, uplink transmission and downlinktransmission are achieved while occupying different frequency bands.According to the TDD type, the uplink transmission and the downlinktransmission are achieved at different time while occupying the samefrequency band. A channel response of the TDD type is substantiallyreciprocal. This means that a downlink channel response and an uplinkchannel response are approximately the same as each other in a givenfrequency area. Accordingly, in the TDD based wireless communicationsystem, the downlink channel response may be acquired from the uplinkchannel response. In the TDD type, since an entire frequency band istime-divided in the uplink transmission and the downlink transmission,the downlink transmission by the base station and the uplinktransmission by the terminal may not be performed simultaneously. In theTDD system in which the uplink transmission and the downlinktransmission are divided by the unit of a sub-frame, the uplinktransmission and the downlink transmission are performed in differentsub-frames.

Hereinafter, the LTE system will be described in detail.

FIG. 2 Shows a Downlink Radio Frame Structure According to FDD of 3rdGeneration Partnership Project (3GPP) Long Term Evolution (LTE).

The radio frame of FIG. 2 may be found in the section 5 of 3GPP TS36.211 V10.4.0 (2011-12) “Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access(E-UTRA); Physical Channels and Modulation (Release 10)”.

Referring to FIG. 2, the radio frame consists of 10 subframes. Onesubframe consists of two slots. Slots included in the radio frame arenumbered with slot numbers 0 to 19. A time required to transmit onesubframe is defined as a transmission time interval (TTI). The TTI maybe a scheduling unit for data transmission. For example, one radio framemay have a length of 10 milliseconds (ms), one subframe may have alength of 1 ms, and one slot may have a length of 0.5 ms.

The structure of the radio frame is for exemplary purposes only, andthus the number of subframes included in the radio frame or the numberof slots included in the subframe may change variously.

Meanwhile, one slot may include a plurality of orthogonal frequencydivision multiplexing (OFDM) symbols. The number of OFDM symbolsincluded in one slot may vary depending on a cyclic prefix (CP). Oneslot includes 7 OFDM symbols in case of a normal CP, and one slotincludes 6 OFDM symbols in case of an extended CP. Herein, since the3GPP LTE uses orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) in adownlink (DL), the OFDM symbol is only for expressing one symbol periodin a time domain, and there is no limitation in a multiple access schemeor terminologies. For example, the OFDM symbol may also be referred toas another terminology such as a single carrier frequency divisionmultiple access (SC-FDMA) symbol, a symbol period, etc.

FIG. 3 Illustrates an Example Resource Grid for One Uplink or DownlinkSlot in 3GPP LTE.

Referring to FIG. 3, the uplink slot includes a plurality of OFDM(orthogonal frequency division multiplexing) symbols in the time domainand NRB resource blocks (RBs) in the frequency domain. For example, inthe LTE system, the number of resource blocks (RBs), i.e., N_(RB), maybe one from 6 to 110.

Resource block (RB) is a resource allocation unit and includes aplurality of sub-carriers in one slot. For example, if one slot includesseven OFDM symbols in the time domain and the resource block includes 12sub-carriers in the frequency domain, one resource block may include7×12 resource elements (REs).

Meanwhile, the number of sub-carriers in one OFDM symbol may be one of128, 256, 512, 1024, 1536, and 2048.

In 3GPP LTE, the resource grid for one uplink slot shown in FIG. 3 mayalso apply to the resource grid for the downlink slot.

FIG. 4 illustrates the architecture of a downlink sub-frame.

In FIG. 4, assuming the normal CP, one slot includes seven OFDM symbols,by way of example.

The DL (downlink) sub-frame is split into a control region and a dataregion in the time domain. The control region includes up to first threeOFDM symbols in the first slot of the sub-frame. However, the number ofOFDM symbols included in the control region may be changed. A PDCCH(physical downlink control channel) and other control channels areallocated to the control region, and a PDSCH is allocated to the dataregion.

The physical channels in 3GPP LTE may be classified into data channelssuch as PDSCH (physical downlink shared channel) and PUSCH (physicaluplink shared channel) and control channels such as PDCCH (physicaldownlink control channel), PCFICH (physical control format indicatorchannel), PHICH (physical hybrid-ARQ indicator channel) and PUCCH(physical uplink control channel).

The control information transmitted through the PDCCH is denoteddownlink control information (DCI). The DCI may include resourceallocation of PDSCH (this is also referred to as DL (downlink) grant),resource allocation of PUSCH (this is also referred to as UL (uplink)grant), a set of transmission power control commands for individual UEsin some UE group, and/or activation of VoIP (Voice over InternetProtocol).

The uplink channels include a PUSCH, a PUCCH, an SRS (Sounding ReferenceSignal), and a PRACH (physical random access channel).

FIG. 5 illustrates the architecture of an uplink sub-frame in 3GPP LTE.

Referring to FIG. 5, the uplink sub-frame may be separated into acontrol region and a data region in the frequency domain. The controlregion is assigned a PUCCH (physical uplink control channel) fortransmission of uplink control information. The data region is assigneda PUSCH (physical uplink shared channel) for transmission of data (insome cases, control information may also be transmitted).

The PUCCH for one terminal is assigned in resource block (RB) pair inthe sub-frame. The resource blocks in the resource block pair take updifferent sub-carriers in each of the first and second slots. Thefrequency occupied by the resource blocks in the resource block pairassigned to the PUCCH is varied with respect to a slot boundary. This isreferred to as the RB pair assigned to the PUCCH having beenfrequency-hopped at the slot boundary.

The terminal may obtain a frequency diversity gain by transmittinguplink control information through different sub-carriers over time. mis a location index that indicates a logical frequency domain locationof a resource block pair assigned to the PUCCH in the sub-frame.

The uplink control information transmitted on the PUCCH includes an HARQ(hybrid automatic repeat request), an ACK (acknowledgement)/NACK(non-acknowledgement), a CQI (channel quality indicator) indicating adownlink channel state, and an SR (scheduling request) that is an uplinkradio resource allocation request.

The PUSCH is mapped with a UL-SCH that is a transport channel. Theuplink data transmitted on the PUSCH may be a transport block that is adata block for the UL-SCH transmitted for the TTI. The transport blockmay be user information. Or, the uplink data may be multiplexed data.The multiplexed data may be data obtained by multiplexing the transportblock for the UL-SCH and control information. For example, the controlinformation multiplexed with the data may include a CQI, a PMI(precoding matrix indicator), an HARQ, and an RI (rank indicator). Or,the uplink data may consist only of control information.

FIG. 6 Illustrates the PUCCH and the PUSCH on an Uplink Subframe.

PUCCH formats will be described with reference to FIG. 6. [71] The PUCCHformat 1 carries the scheduling request (SR). In this case, an on-offkeying (OOK) mode may be applied. The PUCCH format la carriesacknowledgement/non-acknowledgement (ACK/NACK) modulated in a binaryphase shift keying (BPSK) mode with respect to one codeword. The PUCCHformat 1b carries ACK/NACK modulated in a quadrature phase shift keying(QPSK) mode with respect to two codewords. The PUCCH format 2 carries achannel quality indicator (CQI) modulated in the QPSK mode. The PUCCHformats 2a and 2b carry the CQI and the ACK/NACK.

A table given below carries the PUCCH formats.

TABLE 1 Total Modulation bit count per Format mode subframe DescriptionFormat 1 Undecided Undecided Scheduling request (SR) Format 1a BPSK 1ACK/NACK of 1-bit HARQ, scheduling request (SR) may be present or notpresent Format 1b QPSK 2 ACK/NACK of 2-bit HARQ, scheduling request (SR)may be present or not present Format 2 QPSK 20 In case of extended CP,CSI and 1-bit or 2-bit HARQ ACK/NACK Format 2a QPSK + BPSK 21 CSI and1-bit HARQ ACK/NACK Format 2b QPSK + BPSK 22 CSI and 2-bit HARQ ACK/NACKFormat 3 QPSK 48 Multiple ACKs/NACKs, CSI, and scheduling request (SR)may be present or not present

Each PUCCH format is transmitted while being mapped to a PUCCH region.For example, the PUCCH format 2/2a/2b is transmitted while being mappedto resource blocks (m=0 and 1) of band edges assigned to the UE. A mixedPUCCH RB may be transmitted while being mapped to a resource block(e.g., m=2) adjacent to the resource block to which the PUCCH format2/2a/2b is assigned in a central direction of the band. The PUCCH format1/1a/1b in which the SR and the ACK/NACK are transmitted may be disposedin a resource block in which m=4 or m=5. The number (N(2)RB) of resourceblocks which may be used in the PUCCH format 2/2a/2b in which the CQI istransmitted may be indicated to the UE through a broadcasted signal.

<(Scheduling Request: SR)>

In order to receive allocation of an uplink resource from the basestation, the UE performs an SR process. The SR includes a PUCCH SR thatsimply performs a flag function, and this is a 1 bit signal. An SR of aflag format was designed to reduce an uplink overhead.

When the SR is triggered, until the SR is cancelled, it is regarded thatthe SR is pending. In SRs, a MAC protocol data unit (PDU) is assembled,and when the PDU includes a PDU including an entire buffer state of afinal event, or when UL grant is received and when the received UL grantmay receive entire pending UL data for transmission, the entire pendingUL data are cancelled.

When the SR is triggered and when another pending SR does not exist, anMAC entity sets a counter of the SR, for example, SR_COUNTER to 0.

Whenever one SR is pending, the MAC entity operates at each TTI asfollows.

When an UL-SCH resource available for transmission does not exist in theTTI,

if the MAC entity does not have an effective PUCCH resource set for theSR at a random TTI,

the MAC entity performs a random access procedure.

However, when the MAC entity has an effective PUCCH resource set for SRin the TTI, when the TTI is not a measurement gap, and when an SRprohibition timer, for example, an sr-ProhibitTimer is not driving,

if SR_COUNTER<dsr-TransMax,

the MAC entity increases the SR_COUNTER by 1,

instructs a physical layer to signal the SR on a PUCCH, and

starts the sr-ProhibitTimer.

In other cases,

the MAC entity notifies an RRC layer to release a PUCCH/SRS of an entireserving cell.

The MAC entity clears random preset entire downlink allocation anduplink grant and

starts a random access procedure.

The SR may be transmitted at a predetermined transmission-possiblesubframe.

FIG. 7 Illustrates an Example of a Scheduling Request (SR) TransmissionMechanism.

In an example of FIG. 7, when UL grant does not exist, the UE transmitsan SR to a previously reserved SR transmission-possible subframe.Transmission of the SR may be repeated until UL grant is received.

A subframe to which the SR is transmitted is a subframe satisfying thefollowing condition.

(10×n _(f) +└n _(s)/2┘−N _(OFFSET,SR))mod SR _(PERIODICITY)=0  [Equation 1]

The n_(s) is the slot number. n_(f) is a system frame number (SFN) of aradio frame.

The SR_(PERIDOCITY) is an SR transmission period, and the N_(OFFSET,SR)is SR subframe offset. The SR_(PERIDOCITY) and the N_(OFFSET,SR) are SRsetup and are determined according to Table 2 by an parametersr-Configlndex I_(SR) transferred from the base station by higher layersignaling (e.g., RRC signal).

TABLE 2 SR setup index SR period (ms) SR subframe offset I_(SR)SR_(PERIDOCITY) N_(OFFSET,SR) 0-4 5 I_(SR)  5-14 10 I_(SR)-5 15-34 20I_(SR)-15 35-74 40 I_(SR)-35  75-154 80 I_(SR)-75 155-156 2 I_(SR)-155157 1 I_(SR)-157

<Carrier Aggregation>

Hereinafter, a carrier aggregation (CA) system will be described.

The CA system means a system that aggregates a plurality of componentcarriers (CC). A meaning of an existing cell has been changed by suchcarrier aggregation. By carrier aggregation, a cell may mean acombination of a downlink component carrier and an uplink componentcarrier or a single downlink component carrier.

Further, in carrier aggregation, the cell may be classified into aprimary cell, a secondary cell, and a serving cell. The primary cellmeans a cell operating in a primary frequency and means a cell in whichthe UE performs an initial connection establishment procedure or aconnection reestablishment process with the base station or a cellinstructed to a primary cell in a handover process. The secondary cellmeans a cell operating in a secondary frequency, is a cell set when anRRC connection is established, and is used for providing an additionalwireless resource.

As described above, a carrier aggregation system may support a pluralityof component carriers (CC), i.e., a plurality of serving cells unlike asingle carrier system.

Such a carrier aggregation system may support cross-carrier scheduling.The cross-carrier scheduling is a scheduling method that can performresource allocation of a PDSCH transmitted through another componentcarrier through a PDCCH transmitted using a specific component carrierand/or resource allocation of a PUSCH transmitted through othercomponent carriers other than component carriers basically linked to thespecific component carrier.

<Machine Type Communication (MTC)>

Hereinafter, MTC will be described.

FIG. 8a illustrates an example of MTC.

MTC indicates information exchange between MTC devices 100 not requiringa human interaction through a base station 200 or information exchangebetween the MTC device 100 and an MTC server 700 through a base station.

The MTC server 700 is an entity that communicates with the MTC device100. The MTC server 700 executes an MTC application and provides an MTCspecific service to the MTC device.

The MTC device 100 is a wireless device that provides MTC communicationand may be fixed or may have mobility.

A service provided through MTC is different from an existing service incommunication in which a person intervenes and includes variouscategories of services such as tracking, metering, payment, medicalfield service, and remote control. More specifically, a service providedthrough MTC may include meter reading, water level measurement, use of asurveillance camera, and stock report of a vending machine.

Singularity of the MTC device is that a transmission data amount is lessand that uplink/downlink data transmission and reception sometimesoccurs and thus it is efficient to lower a cost of the MTC device and toreduce battery consumption according to such a low data transmissionrate. It is characterized in that such an MTC device has less mobilityand thus a channel environment little changes.

MTC may be referred to as Internet of Things (IoT). Therefore, the MTCdevice may be referred to as an IoT device.

FIG. 8b illustrates extension or enhancement of cell coverage for an MTCdevice.

Nowadays, for the MTC device 100, it is considered to extend or enhancecell coverage of the base station, and for extension or enhancement ofcell coverage, various techniques have been discussed.

However, when cell coverage is extended or enhanced, if the base stationtransmits a downlink channel to an MTC device positioned at a coverageextension (CE) or coverage enhancement (CE) region, the MTC devicesuffers the difficulty in receiving the downlink channel.

FIG. 9 is a Diagram Illustrating an Example of Transmitting a Bundle ofDownlink Channels.

As can be seen with reference to FIG. 9, the base station repeatedlytransmits a downlink channel (e.g., PDCCH and/or PDSCH) to the MTCdevice 100 positioned in a coverage extension area on several subframes((e.g., the N number of subframes). In this way, downlink channelsrepeated on the several subframes are referred to as a bundle ofdownlink channels.

The MTC device receives a bundle of downlink channels on severalsubframes, decodes a portion or the entire of the bundle, therebyenhancing a decoding success rate.

FIGS. 10a and 10b are Diagrams Illustrating an Example of a Sub-Band inwhich an MTC Device Operates.

As one method for a low-cost of the MTC device, as shown in FIG. 10a ,the MTC device may use a sub-band of, for example, about 1.4 MHzregardless of a system bandwidth of a cell.

In this case, an area of a sub-band in which such an MTC device operatesmay be positioned at a central area (e.g., 6 PRBs of the center) of asystem bandwidth of the cell, as shown in FIG. 10 a.

Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 10b , for multiplexing within a subframebetween MTC devices, by installing several sub-bands as a sub-band ofthe MTC device in one subframe, MTC devices may use different sub-bands.In this case, most MTC devices may use another sub-band instead of thecentral area (e.g., 6 PRBs of the center) of the system band of thecell.

Alternatively, for an MTC device operating on a reduced partial band, aredefinition of an RB mapping method or a transmitting method ofphysical channels may be required.

<Disclosure of the Present Specification>

Therefore, a disclosure of the present specification provides a methodof solving such a problem.

As one method for solving this, a method in which an MTC device oflow-complexity/low-specification/low-cost transmits an SR is suggested.Specifically, a disclosure of the present specification describes amethod of setting an SR parameter for the MTC device and a method inwhich the MTC device repeatedly transmits an SR.

Hereinafter, in the present specification, an MTC device operating in areduced bandwidth according tolow-complexity/low-capability/low-specification/low-cost is referred toas an LC device or a bandwidth reduced low complexity (BL) device. Here,according to a disclosure of the present specification, coverageextension/enhancement (CE) may be classified into two modes. A firstmode (or referred to as a CE mode A) is a mode in which repetitiontransmission is not performed or for the small number of repetitiontransmission. A second mode (or referred to as a CE mode B) is a mode inwhich the many number of repetition transmission is allowed. A mode tooperate among two modes may be signaled to the LC device. Here,parameters in which the LC device assumes for transmission and receptionof a control channel/data channel may be changed according to the CEmode. Further, a DCI format monitored by the LC device may be changedaccording to a CE mode. However, some physical channels may berepeatedly transmitted by the same number regardless of a CE mode A anda CE mode B.

I. Disclosure of the Present Specification: SR Setup

A general UE may transmit an SR on a subframe determined by aUE-specifically set period and offset, as in Equation 1, and an SRperiod actually transmitted by an sr-ProhibitTimer in a subframe inwhich a corresponding SR may be transmitted is represented in a formatthat multiplies a period to an SR resource.

The LC device may repeatedly transmit an SR according to a CE mode on aplurality of subframes. Therefore, it is necessary to redefine aresource, a start position, and a related procedure in which an SR maybe repeatedly transmitted.

Specifically, a method of setting a start position of repetitiontransmission of the SR may consider a format in which the SR sets atransmission-possible subframe, i.e., setup based on a period and offsetof a subframe. The SR (i) may be continuously transmitted by the entirerepetition number previously or set in a higher layer from the SRrepetition start position, (ii) may be transmitted to an SR resourcethrough a preset subframe, and (iii) may be a format that correspondsthe entire repetition number in a format that burst performs repetitiontransmission of the SR by the number previously or set in a higher layerfrom each SR subframe and that repeats this in a next SR subframe. As anexample of (iii), when a transmission period of an SR subframe is 10msec and when the entire repetition number is 10, the SR may have aformat that transmits two continued SRs over 5 radio frames in eachradio frame.

The (i) will be described with reference to FIG. 11.

FIG. 11 Illustrates an Example of Determining a Subframe for RepetitionTransmission of an SR According to a Disclosure of the PresentSpecification.

As can be seen with reference to FIG. 11, the base station transfers ahigher layer signal (e.g., RRC signal) including a repetition level inaddition to an SR period (SR_(PERIDOCITY)) and SR subframe offset(N_(OFFSET,SR)) to the LC device.

The LC device determines a subframe position to start repetitiontransmission of the SR based on the SR period (SR_(PERIDOCITY)) and SRsubframe offset (N_(OFFSET,SR)).

Thereafter, the LC device repeatedly transmits the SR from thedetermined subframe position. Here, the repetition transmission numbermay be determined according to the repetition level.

A repetition of a continuous or discontinuous SR corresponding to theentire repetition number may be referred to as an SR bundle and maybecome a reference when designating dr-TransMax of the SR or whenapplying an sr-ProhibitTimer. For example, when dr-TransMax is set to 4,after transmission of 4 times based on an SR bundle, SR transmissionthrough a PUCCH may be stopped, scheduling may be cancelled, and a PRACHmay be transmitted. The sr-ProhibitTimer may not be applied within an SRbundle. Alternatively, the dr-TransMax or the sr-ProhibitTimer may beapplied based on a parameter including a repetition level or therepetition number.

When the LC device prepares a buffer status report (BSR) in a MAC PDU orwhen the LC device receives UL grant and receive currently pendinguplink data through UL grant, the LC device may cancel and not transmitentire SRs. However, when the LC device operates in a CE mode B, thereis a high possibility that the base station is to repeatedly transmit ULgrant, and in this case, even if the base station transmits UL grant,until the LC device appropriately detects UL grant, a predetermined timeis required and thus the LC device may repeatedly transmit an SR for acorresponding time. The base station may detect an SR with reception ofonly some of repetition transmission of an SR according to a channelsituation, but for appropriate scheduling setup later, after the entireof repetition transmission of an SR is received, the base station maydetermine whether to detect an SR. In this case, the LC device may nottransmit an SR from a detection time point of UL grant and change andtransmit a transmitting method of an SR while SR repetition transmissionis performed. As an example of the description, for a positive SR, whena PUCCH is generated and transmitted based on +1, for the remainingtransmission of SR repetition transmission, in order to represent anegative SR, a PUCCH may be generated and transmitted based on a value−1.

II. Another Disclosure of the Present Specification: SimultaneousTransmission of SR and HARQ-ACK/NACK

According to another disclosure of the present specification, the LCdevice may repeatedly transmit HARQ-ACK/NACK. In general, it may not beassumed that a start point and an end point of HARQ-ACK/NACK repetitionand a start point and an end point of SR repetition always correspond.Further, the SR is transmitted by the LC device and the base stationperforms blind detection, however in a case of HARQ-ACK, because the LCdevice transmits HARQ-ACK based on downlink scheduling, the base stationmay know a detection time point.

It may be considered that simultaneous transmission of SR andHARQ-ACK/NACK is performed with divided into the following situations.

II-1. After SR is Triggered, when HARQ-ACK/NACK is Transmitted

According to a first illustration, an SR is triggered and according towhether HARQ-ACK/NACK is transmitted within a specific detection window,the LC device may determine whether to transmit a PUCCH (or PRACH)including only an SR after a time point in which a correspondingdetection window is terminated or to simultaneously transmit HARQ-ACKand SR within a corresponding detection window. The detection window maybe defined by a timer activated after SR is triggered. Transmission ofHARQ-ACK/NACK may be performed with the start of actual HARQ-ACK/NACKtransmission or may be performed by securement of a HARQ-ACK/NACKresource through detection of (E)PDCCH. In a latter case, even after adetection window is terminated, SR transmission may be delayed up tocorresponding HARQ-ACK/NACK. Alternatively, HARQ-ACK/NACK mayunconditionally have a priority, and a priority may differently setaccording to a HARQ-ACK/NACK state. Here, when HARQ-ACK has a priority,transmission of the SR is dropped, but transmission of the SR may not becancelled. In another example, a priority may be given to a channeltransmitted before SR or HARQ-ACK/NACK.

According to a second illustration, when an SR is triggered, the LCdevice may start to transmit a PUCCH including the SR through an SRresource. However, the LC device may transmit HARQ-ACK in an SR resourcefrom a transmission time point of HARQ-ACK. In this case, it may benecessary that the base station comprehensively detects a HARQ-ACK/NACKresource and an SR resource to estimate a HARQ-ACK/NACK position.

According to a third illustration, when an SR is triggered, the LCdevice may start to transmit a PUCCH including the SR through an SRresource. In this case, the LC device may transmit the SR using a PUCCHformat 1b, assume a most significant bit (MSB) to 0, set a leastsignificant bit (LSB) to 1 for a positive SR, and may not transmit aPUCCH for a negative SR.

Further, the LC device may change and transmit an MSB of a PUCCH format1b transmitted through an SR resource from a transmission time point ofHARQ-ACK according to a HARQ-ACK/NACK value. Even if SR repetition isended, when HARQ-ACK/NACK repetition is remained, the LC device maycontinue to maintain an SR resource. When it is assumed that anyone LCdevice repeatedly transmits one HARQ-ACK/NACK at one time point, the LCdevice may transmit HARQ-ACK/NACK with one of PUCCH format 1b resources.In a negative SR situation, when HARQ-ACK is not transmitted, the LCdevice does not transmit a PUCCH, and when HARQ-ACK/NACK is transmitted,the LC device may set 0 to a PUCCH format 1b LSB.

According to a fourth illustration, only when transmittingHARQ-ACK/NACK, it may be considered that the LC device transmits an SR.When the SR is transmitted using a HARQ-ACK/NACK resource, HARQ-ACK andSR may be joint coded through a PUCCH, and when the SR is transmittedthrough an SR resource, it may be interpreted that HARQ-ACK/NACK isalways transmitted through an SR resource.

According to a fifth illustration, it may be considered that the SR isjoint coded and transmitted with periodic CSI. That is, the SR may beencoded together with CSI information at a transmission time point ofperiodic CSI to be transmitted using a PUCCH format 2. Even when it isunnecessary to transmit HARQ-ACK/NACK, the SR is transmitted throughperiodic CSI, and when the SR and periodic CSI are joint coded, a valueof the SR may be 1 in a positive case and may be 0 in a negative case.

Here, only when the SR is transmitted together with HARQ-ACK/NACK orperiodic CSI, when the SR is set to be transmitted, if the SR is nottransmitted for a predetermined time with absence of HARQ-ACK/NACK orperiodic CSI, the LC device may transmit the SR through a PRACH.Further, in the foregoing description, in repetition transmission of theSR, when some transmissions are dropped, the SR is not cancelled, andwhen the SR is not transmitted, a counter of the SR transmission numberis not increased. For this reason, when the SR is not transmitted, theLC device may signal corresponding indication information to a higherlayer.

II-2. When SR is Triggered while Transmitting HARQ-ACK/NACK

According to a first illustration, until preceding repetitiontransmission of HARQ-ACK/NACK is terminated, the LC device may nottransmit an SR. In this case, transmission of the SR is not cancelled.

According to a second illustration, the LC device may perform repetitiontransmission of HARQ-ACK/NACK through a HARQ-ACK/NACK resource. When theSR is triggered, the LC device may transmit HARQ-ACK/NACK through an SRresource from a corresponding time point.

According to a third illustration, when the SR is triggered whilerepetition transmission of HARQ-ACK/NACK, the LC device may set an LSBof a PUCCH format 1b to 1 from a corresponding time point. In this case,when the LSB is 0 or 1, the base station may add a soft value of theMSB. When repetition transmission of the SR remains at a time point inwhich repetition transmission of HARQ-ACK/NACK is terminated, the LCdevice may maintain a resource of HARQ-ACK/NACK. That is, the LC devicemay perform the remaining transmission of repetition transmission of theSR through the HARQ-ACK/NACK resource. When it is assumed that one LCdevice performs repetition transmission of one HARQ-ACK/NACK at one timepoint, the LC device may transmit HARQ-ACK using one of PUCCH format 1bresources. In a situation of a negative SR, when HARQ-ACK/NACK is nottransmitted, the LC device does not transmit a PUCCH, and whenHARQ-ACK/NACK is transmitted, the LC device may set 0 to the LSB of aPUCCH format 1b.

According to a fourth illustration, only when HARQ-ACK is transmitted,it may be considered that the LC device transmits an SR. In this case,when the SR is transmitted through a HARQ-ACK/NACK resource, HARQ-ACKand the SR may be joint coded, and when the SR is transmitted through anSR resource, HARQ-ACK/NACK may be always transmitted through an SRresource.

According to a fifth illustration, the LC device may joint code andtransmit the SR with periodic CSI. That is, the SR may be encodedtogether with CSI information at a transmission time point of periodicCSI to be transmitted using a PUCCH format 2. Even when transmission ofHARQ-ACK/NACK does not exist, the SR is transmitted through periodicCSI, and when the SR is joint coded together with CSI, a value of the SRmay be 1 in a positive case and may be 0 in a negative case.

Here, only when HARQ-ACK/NACK or periodic CSI is transmitted, if the SRis set to be transmitted, when the SR is not transmitted for apredetermined time with absence of HARQ-ACK/NACK or periodic CSI, the LCdevice may transmit the SR through a PRACH. Further, in repetitiontransmission of the SR, when some transmission of the SR is dropped, theSR is not cancelled, and when the SR is not transmitted, the LC devicemay not increase a counter of the transmission number of the SR. Forthis reason, when the SR is not transmitted, the LC device may signalcorresponding indication information to a higher layer.

According to a disclosure of the present specification described in theforegoing description, even in a situation in which an LC deviceoperates with a reduced bandwidth, an SR may be efficiently transmittedand thus a base station may efficiently perform uplink scheduling basedon a corresponding SR.

As described above, exemplary embodiments of the present invention maybe implemented through various means. For example, exemplary embodimentsof the present invention may be implemented by hardware, firmware,software, or a combination thereof. Specifically, exemplary embodimentsof the present invention will be described with reference to thedrawings.

FIG. 12 is a Block Diagram Illustrating a Wireless Communication Systemthat Implements a Disclosure of the Present Specification.

A base station 200 includes a processor 201, a memory 202, and atransmitting and receiving unit (or a radio frequency (RF) unit) 203.The memory 202 is connected to the processor 201 to store variousinformation for driving the processor 201. The transmitting andreceiving unit (or RF unit) 203 is connected to the processor 201 totransmit and/or receive a wireless signal. The processor 201 implementsa suggested function, process, and/or method. In the foregoing exemplaryembodiment, operation of the base station may be implemented by theprocessor 201.

An LC device 100 includes a processor 101, a memory 102, and atransmitting and receiving unit (or RF unit) 103. The memory 102 isconnected to the processor 101 to store various information for drivingthe processor 101. The transmitting and receiving unit (or RF unit) 103is connected to the processor 101 to transmit and/or receive a wirelesssignal. The processor 101 implements a suggested function, process,and/or method.

The processor may include an application-specific integrated circuit(ASIC), another chipset, a logic circuit, and/or a data processor. Thememory may include a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory(RAM), a flash memory, a memory card, a storage medium, and/or anotherstorage device. The RF unit may include a baseband circuit forprocessing a wireless signal. When an exemplary embodiment isimplemented with software, the above-described technique may beimplemented with a module (process, function) that performs theabove-described function. The module may be stored at a memory and maybe executed by the processor. The memory may exist at the inside or theoutside of the processor and may be connected to the processor withwell-known various means.

In the above illustrated systems, although the methods have beendescribed on the basis of the flowcharts using a series of steps orblocks, the present invention is not limited to the sequence of thesteps, and some of the steps may be performed with different sequencesfrom the remaining steps or may be performed simultaneously with theremaining steps. Furthermore, those skilled in the art will understandthat the steps shown in the flowcharts are not exclusive and may includeother steps or one or more steps of the flowcharts may be deletedwithout affecting the scope of the present invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A device for transmitting a scheduling request (SR), the device configured for a coverage enhancement and comprising: a transceiver; and a processor which controls the transceiver to determine a first subframe to start a transmission of the SR; determine a number of subframes used for repeatedly transmitting the SR; and repeatedly transmit the SR over a plurality of consecutive subframes starting from the determined first subframe by the determined number of subframes.
 2. The device of claim 1, wherein the transceiver receives a higher layer signal including a SR transmission periodicity and a SR subframe offset, the higher layer signal further including information on a repetition number, wherein the start subframe is determined based on the SR transmission periodicity and the SR subframe offset, and wherein the number of subframes is determined based on the information.
 3. The device of claim 1, wherein when transmission of hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) acknowledgement (ACK)/non-acknowledgement (NACK) is required after the SR is triggered, the SR is transmitted using a Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) format 1B, and wherein a Most Significant Bit (MSB) of the SR is set to 0, and wherein when the SR is a positive SR, a Least Significant Bit (LSB) of the SR is set to
 1. 4. The device of claim 3, wherein an MSB of the SR is set according to a value of the HARQ ACK/NACK from a transmission time point of the HARQ ACK/NACK, when transmission of HARQ ACK/NACK is required, after the SR is triggered.
 5. The device of claim 1, wherein the SR is together transmitted when HARQ ACK/NACK is transmitted.
 6. The device of claim 1, wherein the SR is joint encoded and transmitted with HARQ ACK/NACK.
 7. The device of claim 1, wherein the SR is together transmitted when a periodic Channel State Information (CSI) is transmitted.
 8. The device of claim 1, wherein the SR is joint encoded and transmitted with a periodic Channel State Information (CSI).
 9. A device for transmitting a scheduling request (SR), the device configured for a coverage enhancement and comprising: a transceiver; at least one processor; and at least one computer memory operably connectable to the at least one processor and storing instructions that, when executed, cause the at least one processor to perform operations comprising: determining a first subframe to start a transmission of the SR; determining a number of subframes used for repeatedly transmitting the SR; and repeatedly transmitting the SR over a plurality of consecutive subframes starting from the determined first subframe by the determined number of subframes.
 10. The device of claim 9, wherein the transceiver receives a higher layer signal including a SR transmission periodicity and a SR subframe offset, the higher layer signal further including information on a repetition number, wherein the start subframe is determined based on the SR transmission periodicity and the SR subframe offset, and wherein the number of subframes is determined based on the information.
 11. The device of claim 9, wherein when transmission of hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) acknowledgement (ACK)/non-acknowledgement (NACK) is required after the SR is triggered, the SR is transmitted using a Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) format 1B, and wherein a Most Significant Bit (MSB) of the SR is set to 0, and wherein when the SR is a positive SR, a Least Significant Bit (LSB) of the SR is set to
 1. 12. The device of claim 11, wherein an MSB of the SR is set according to a value of the HARQ ACK/NACK from a transmission time point of the HARQ ACK/NACK, when transmission of HARQ ACK/NACK is required, after the SR is triggered.
 13. The device of claim 9, wherein the SR is together transmitted when HARQ ACK/NACK is transmitted.
 14. The device of claim 9, wherein the SR is together transmitted when a periodic Channel State Information (CSI) is transmitted. 